Outlaw
by t.j.guard
Summary: Tally's returned to life as usual at the museum, save a few dreams she's been having lately which keep repeating themselves, but when a new transfer arrives, he comes complete with his own can of worms.
1. Prologue

Outlaw

Disclaimer: I don't own Night at the Museum.

Author's notes: Not set in the AU timeline posed in Revolution, set after Date with the Devil. Prologue and epilogue serve as episodic filler and bookends. AhkXOC JedXOct  
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Prologue

Jedediah leaned against the tunnel which connected the Western display to the Rome display, watching Octavius train his men using Latin commands. Jed did wonder as to Octavius' extensive use of the language, and then he remembered that conversation he'd had with Octavius about how homesick the latter was.

After a few minutes, Octavius turned toward Jed and walked over to him. "Is something wrong?"

"I'd be askin' you the same thing," Jed replied.

"Why would that be?"

"Simple, you're always usin' Latin talkin' to your men and all the other Romans."

"Is that a problem?"

"I's just curious as to why, since y'all understand English, anyways, and I know you's get homesick sometimes."

"Of course I do. Don't you get homesick?"

"A guy like me's been all over, ain't got a real home. A guy like you's different."

"How so?"

"You actually got to settle down somewhere, have a life with somebody."

"I have a life with you."

"But you still miss the real Rome, don't you?"

Octavius sighed and lowered his gaze. "Swear to me that you won't think less of me, my love."

Jed pulled Octavius into him and whispered, "Listen, it don't matter what's wrong. I ain't goin' nowhere."

"I do miss Rome some days."

"'Sokay. I understand."

Octavius wound his fingers through Jedediah's hair. "I hate nights like this."

"Don't worry 'bout nothin', okay? Besides, you're better off here. Ain't no crazy folk to try and kill you off without you's knowin', and we're together."

"That's the biggest plus there is to being six inches tall in a museum," Octavius said with a smile. He pulled away just enough to kiss Jedediah sweetly. "As long as we're here and we're together, I really don't see how anything could look remotely bleak."

Jed cracked a goofy grin and slugged Octavius playfully, chuckling a little, and to their relief, the crouds gathered around the dioramas began to disperse.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter One

Tally sat bolt upright in bed, panting, in a ferocious coldsweat, the lingering image of a young man about to drive a knife through her chest seared onto her mind's eye. She rubbed her face dry with her bedsheet and walked into the kitchen for a glass of cold water. She checked her watch, seeing that it read 1:38 A.M. She took a drink of the water and rubbed her eyes, and with the glass in hand, she walked back into the bedroom and set it on the nightstand, crawling back into the covers and closing her eyes.

After about thirty minutes of trying to sleep, she finally gave up, got dressed, and called Larry to let him know she was coming in after all. She locked the apartment door behind her, exited the building, and heralded a taxi to take her to the Museum of Natural History. Spending the better part of ten minutes pretending to listen to the cabby's ranting about having to work late, she paid fare and said, "Listen, pal, I'd love my job if I were you."

He gave her a strange look, but she ignored it and walked up the steps to the door, which Larry had finished unlocking. He locked the door again and turned to Tally.

"Thanks," Tally said.

"Still not sleeping?" Larry asked.

"Nope, not at all. I hoped today would be different, but it wasn't."

"Well, what can I say?"

"Not a lot, I guess. We're stuck in a rut for however long that rut lasts us."

"That's a new one."

"Tally? What are you doing here?" Ahkmenrah asked, redirecting Tally's attention. Larry had already turned to go on his way at that point.

"I couldn't sleep."

"Still? Is something wrong?"

"I wish I could answer, but I can't."

He pulled her into a gentle embrace and kissed the top of her head. "Is there a way you might be able to get some rest?"

"I dunno yet. I just have to figure out what this dream means and maybe that'll help."

"What dream?"

"The dream about the guy trying to cut me to pieces."

"I think I know something that might help." Ahkmenrah led Tally into the Egyptian Wing and gestured to a painting of Osiris, a man who was wrapped up to his head in bandages. "The legend goes that he was cut into pieces by his brother and scattered across Egypt until his wife Isis put him back together and mummified him."

"That's quite the relationship."

"At least, that's how the story goes conventionally."

"So, some freakish guy like Osiris' brother is going to cut me to pieces in hopes that I'm not ever reassembled and thus my soul will die?"

"You catch on quickly. Now, can you identify the man in your dreams?"

"I can't give him a name, but if it is Osiris' brother, then we're screwed."

"Big time. Oh, and his name is Set."

"Good to know."

"My question to you is, why on earth would he be after you?"

"I dunno, maybe because he wasn't there to help best Apep."

"Yes, that could be a logical reason."

"Okay, whilst we're on the subject of logic, I heard we were getting a transfer. Is it safe?"

"It should be, as long as whoever it is can stay inside or get inside before the sun rises, but that, of course, depends on the transfer."

"Isn't it also that the interaction dynamic of the exhibits will be changed?"

"Where did you learn to talk like this?"

"Sociology and Psychology lectures online."

"Still doing college, I see."

"Why shouldn't I? Fills the time and furthers my education."

"Alright, that makes sense."

Ahkmenrah and Tally both sat down on the nearest bench, Tally's eyes wandering the halls in search of anything unusual. Ahkmenrah pulled her close and stroked her hair. Eventually, Tally allowed her eyes to flutter shut and whispered, "I do need rest."

"Getting it seems to be problematic for you, however."

"Oh, there you are," Larry said, walking up to them. "I can't seem to find a big enough space for the new waxwork."

"Oh, so there is a transfer," Tally said. "Get McPhee to worry about it later."

"He wants the space picked out by the time he gets here."

"So he's relying on us?"

"Yes, now come on."

Larry attempted to pull Tally along behind him when Ahkmenrah shot to his feet and shouted something in Egyptian. The night guard stepped back, struggling to keep even footing with a pharaoh staring him down.

Tally got to her feet of her own volition and stepped between the two. "Before anyone here does anything stupid," she said, "I'm gonna have to be dead."

Ahkmenrah backed off, allowing Larry to relax, and Tally followed the latter into what was considered the Western Wing, despite it lacking in several components, like the matching diorama. "Okay," Larry said. "Is there anywhere we can put the new waxwork and matching display?"

"How big is it? Are we talking life-size here or what?"

"Yeah, life-size. The display's a bit bigger, though."

Tally's eyes roamed the room for a second. "How about that gap over there between the Railroad and the Westward Expansion?"

"How come I didn't see that?"

Tally rolled her eyes and sighed. "So we've got our space. Is that all?"

"Yes."

"Good." She turned on her heel and walked out of the wing.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Tally dwelled on Larry's stupidity for the better part of ten seconds before her thoughts returned to the bigger picture of things, such as the dream she's been having over and over. She'd finally caved and told the rest of the story Ahkmenrah, who was, in fact, of some help, so that matter was put to some rest within thirty seconds, which left the matter of the new waxwork.

This would be harder. After all, she never learned who it was of, which could end up being a huge asset to the museum, or it could destroy everyone in it. It belonged in the larger Western Wing, so that narrowed her options considerably. She just couldn't pin a name to it, so she'd have had to go back that night, with the hope of learning what this waxwork was of.

She walked back into her apartment, her mind still fairly preoccupied. She got into bed right away and felt herself dozing off.

Tally could feel a very cold presence all around her, as if she'd been trapped in the Arctic, which would've matched with the pitch blackness. A woman stood before her, in an ancient Egyptian dress with pleated hair and an elaborate headdress. "Trust him," she said, "and he will be of great help to you."

"Trust who? Your brother-in-law?" Tally asked, more in her mind than anything else.

"No." The woman reached out and touched her shoulder. A thought occurred to Tally: How did she know Set was this woman's brother-in-law? That could only be true if-.

"Isis?"

"Yes, child, and have faith not only in your strength, but also in this newcomer to your museum. He may not always have been or will be moral, but you may find you need his skillset."

"So, we're dealing with an outlaw?"

"One portrayed as Robin Hood was." Tally felt she should've known the name, but it wasn't coming to her. "Now, I must allow you to rest, child." Isis and her voice faded.

Larry collapsed on the couch, since Nicky was on his bed, and he would've been out like he usually was, but he couldn't stop thinking about the disaster he'd have been facing if the display was too big for the space. McPhee had deadlines, sure, but he should've had people do this, or asked help from some of the exhibits, but it wasn't of much good.

"Hey, Dad," Nicky suddenly said.

"Hey, kid. How long've you been up?"

"About an hour. How was work?"

"The usual. We're getting a transfer within a day or two, so it's gonna be crazy."

"You need any extra help?"

"Well, sure, if you wanna attend a huge welcoming party."

"That sounds like fun."

"Get lots of rest. It's gonna be a long night."

"Okay, Dad." With that, Nicky rushed off to go about his daily business, leaving Larry to sleep off the previous night.

Tally awoke at four P.M. amazingly well-rested, so she took a little time getting started, revelling in what it felt like, before she got dressed and headed off to work. She got there several minutes prior to the start of the late show on Sunday night, and across the lobby, she spotted Larry and his son, Nicky, and on the other side she found Ahkmenrah. She walked over to him and hugged him, allowing him to nuzzle her nose and kiss her forehead.

"I see you've slept well," he said.

"Yeah, more or less. Any idea who the new exhibit is?"

"I think I'd rather show you." Ahkmenrah led Tally into the Western Wing, and by then, most of the exhibits were alive and working out the kinks of being inanimate for twelve hours or more. The new waxwork was, indeed, dressed like an outlaw straight out of a Western movie, and he was working out a few things that he'd only recently discovered as tweaked, and he finished this routine by stretching out a little.

Tally's eyes examined the display, which showed a train being robbed by a gang of outlaws. The image had come alive, and it was really an interesting thing to watch. "Think they know to return to their original positions so they aren't noticed too much?" Tally whispered.

"It don't really matter one way or another. A picture's a picture," the waxwork-come-alive said.

Tally's eyes wandered to the placard mounted before the display, but the name in bold above the text forced her to turn around. "Holy shit."

"Read that thing?" the waxwork asked. Ahkmenrah, for his part, was watching the scene as if watching a movie for the first time. "Oh, yeah," the new exhibit continued. "That's me. Now, where can I rob a train in this town?"

"You're...?"

"Jesse James, the one and only."


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

At about this point, Larry and McPhee had just walked in on the scene. Tally pointed to the waxwork outlaw and mouthed, "Jesse James." Larry nodded and pulled McPhee aside to exchange a few words in hushed tones.

Jesse, meanwhile, turned to Ahkmenrah and asked, "You know where I can find a train to rob?" Ahkmenrah just shrugged, and Jesse sighed and rolled his eyes.

Tally stepped toward Jesse. "What's your issue, anyway?"

"A guy's gotta make a livin' 'round here."

"You don't need to make a living. This is a museum, and you're made of wax, devoid of a need of money, entirely sheltered from the outside world, for the most part, unless something happens."

"Yeah, like what?"

"Like, oh, say, someone bombing this place just because they can. Then we're all screwed, no matter what you are, and you meet a lot of folks in a place like this."

"How's it that a li'l lady like yourself knows all this?"

"Listen here, pal," Tally hissed, preparing to punch Jesse in the face. "I can do whatever I want, and you're not stopping me."

"I guess I should." Jesse pulled his gun and took aim at Tally, who promptly kicked it out of his hand.

"You don't scare me, James."

"Okay, you two, break it up before it gets ugly," Larry said. "Late show in five minutes."

Jesse stared blankly at Larry, and Tally just said, "You explain. I can't stand him." She took a few steps back, toward Ahkmenrah, and together, they left the room.

"What has he done to bother you?" Ahkmenrah asked as soon as they were isolated. He stroked her hair gently as he said this.

"I dunno if it's anything at all. I've just got a weird feeling about him, and I'm not sure if he's really worth a message from Isis saying to trust him."

"Doubting a goddess isn't a good thing."

"I know, but I'm not much of a believer, so I really don't think my opinion matters."

He pulled her toward him and whispered, "Don't say such things."

"Or what?"

"I don't want you damaging your own self-esteem with words such as those."

Tally wound her arms around his torso and closed her eyes. "I don't get it, but it seems like you always know what to say."

"I wish to be honest with you. I love you."

"I love you, too, Ahk, and I don't know what I'd do without you."

"I don't know what I'd do without you, either."

For a while, Tally and Ahkmenrah stood in silence, gently swaying back and forth, when Larry walked up. "Okay, he knows what's going on."

"That's a start," Tally said, pulling away from Ahkmenrah. "Now can he follow rules?"

"Let's worry about that part later, for the sake of easing him into this."

"He fled justice until he was killed by his own gang member."

"Okay, we'll work on it. Just, let's wait until after the late show, okay?"

Tally sighed and rolled her eyes, but she said nothing.

"Okay, who wants to get the show on the road?" McPhee asked, almost literally popping up out of nowhere. Ahkmenrah immediately fled the room and headed for the lobby. Tally left in the opposite direction, leaving, again, Larry and McPhee. "I'll never figure those two out."

"It takes a little time."

Jesse seemed, well, confused, when Tally showed up. "So, what? People jus' come here and ask questions?" he asked.

"That's how it's supposed to work."

"What about-?"

"Listen, in today's world, you have to be politically correct in order to survive. No racial slurs, no sexist comments, none of that."

"So, what can I say?"

"You can bitch about what a coward Rob Ford is for shooting you in the back of the head rather than duelling you face to face at twenty paces in some street or something."

"That ain't gonna go very far."

"There's always your exploits, scores of them that there are."

"Okay. Anything else?"

"That's about all I can come up with, and remember: no racial slurs, no sexist comments."

"I'll try, ma'am."

"That's something."

Just as Tally turned on her heel to leave, Jesse said, "I never got your name."

"Tally," she replied, looking back over her shoulder, before walking out to the lobby.


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Jed watched the crowds flood through the diorama room. After a second, he slumped against the wall with a sigh. Not one person had stopped to look at any of the dioramas, and across the Diorama Room's foyer, he could see the Mayans trying to attract attention. "'S pointless," he said. "Nobody's stoppin' to take a look." He turned toward Octavius, who'd taken to standing behind him when he had these moments. "Wha's the point of havin' this if nobody's lookin'?"

Octavius shrugged. "Occasionally someone will look," he said.

"Not enough." Jed slumped against the wall again, his back to it this time. Octavius walked over and rested a hand on his shoulder.

"It'll be alright," he whispered.

"Look, it ain't much of a problem. I jus' want people to stop and stare sometimes, is all."

Octavius searched his mind for a second before he decided he couldn't say anything. He rested his arm across Jed's shoulders and they stood there like that for a long while.

Tally walked into a lobby crowded with people, talking amongst themselves more than to the exhibits. In one corner, she spotted Teddy astride his horse, and in another, Rexy. Ahkmenrah, however, proved harder to find, though eventually, she spotted his crown, a shining point of light in a sea of people's heads.

At the edge of the lobby's crowd of people, Tally saw Larry walking around, scanning the people as she usually did, for trouble. She turned around and walked back to the Western Wing, which was still deserted in spite of exhibits trying to show off their daily lives.

Jesse, however, was leaning against the wall, watching Tally. "Why's it you's keep coming back?"

"Because I don't trust you to save my ass."

"What? I ain't worth it?"

"I don't see any reason why you should be. I've seen a lot in the past two years, and I guess it has a way of changing people."

"Makes sense, I guess, but what if I said I wasn't gonna steal anymore?"

"I don't believe it."

"So what's a guy gotta do to prove himself around here?"

"Look, I've already got a boyfriend."

"Butcha can't marry him."

"I can't marry you, either. You're basically the same sort, except he was alive at some point three thousand years ago."

"So whassat make me?"

"Well, seeing as how you're a wax dummy, in more ways than one, it's a waste of my time."

"Whaddaya mean?"

"Listen, I've got better things to do, and I probably should be doing them right now, but for the life of me, I can't figure out how I'm supposed to trust you, or what's going to happen to make that happen."

"So that's why you hate me so much?"

"I can't figure out why I hate you, either, okay? It's just happening like this because it is. That's all there is to it."

"That ain't all there is to it, and you know it."

"What makes you so good with people?"

"I jus' know stuff, okay?"

"Yeah, whatever."

"Don't 'yeah, whatever' me."

Tally waved her hand, and Jesse flew into the ceiling. The ceiling, for its part, was lucky it didn't fall to pieces after Jesse hit the ground. "Don't come bitchin' to me next time, then. You're the one that asked," she said offhandedly. She turned on her heel and walked out.

She found her way to the Egyptian Wing, followed in a close second by Ahkmenrah. "I'm so glad that's over," he said. "So, how was your evening?"

"Eventful, to say the least."

"What's happened?"

"I need to figure something out. Did you guys ever believe in reincarnation?"

Ahkmenrah looked off, furrowed his brow, and finally said, "I can't recall."

"Okay, so maybe there's something else going on here."

"Why reincarnation?"

"There's a story about how Jesse James was shot by Robert Ford, one of his gangmembers later in life, in the back of his head. There must've been some reason or another behind it, and I think it still lingers, in spite of dime novels and the Robin Hood persona estabilshed around him."

"That makes sense, actually. Do you think he was cursed?"

"I dunno. Maybe I'm the one that's cursed, which is why there's so much evil in my presence, on the level it's been in the past two years more than anything else."

"So what do you think is the cause of this?"

"I dunno. It could just be Set trying to stir discord and kill us all off, cut us to pieces, and make someone else reassemble us, though he hopes no one will."

"Isis might. She's done it before."

"And she's the lady who told me to trust Jesse."

"This could be why."

"If it is, then where's Set?"

"Why on Earth would you want to know such a thing?"

"So we can make him stop this madness so we can all move on with our lives."

"You're a very brazen girl, trying to force a god to bend to your will."

"I dunno if it's worth the fight or not, but this is the best plan I have."

"I suggest you come up with a better plan, then."

"Maybe I will."

"Now, I think it best for you to at least try to get on with this Jesse James character, despite his past repute. At least try for me, alright?"

Tally sighed. "Okay."


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Jesse sighed. Finally, the last of the late crowd had cleared out, and most of the exhibits were gathered in the lobby. He hung back, at the fringes of their party, leaning against a wall, chewing his lip.

He fingered one of the stray strings on his jacket and scanned the fray for any familiar face. Hell, he'd have even been happy to see that girl Tally, just for the sake of catching sight of someone he knew.

"Have you seen Tally?" the kid with a crown on his head asked.

"Ain't seen her," Jesse replied, carefully keeping his eyes away from the kid.

"Hm."

"Ain't you that Ahkmenrah kid people're tellin' me about?"

"So someone's told you?"

"Yep."

"Are you looking for anyone?"

"Nah, just lookin' around, tryin' to see if there's anybody I know."

"That could happen. My brother's wax model was transfered over here once."

"That guy with the goofy hat?"

"Yes, the guy with the goofy hat." Ahkmenrah smiled and chuckled. "I understand you, too, are new here."

"Yeah, I guess. I can't tell."

"This is your first time awake?"

"Yeah."

"Oh, I assure you, you'll get used to it."

"I hope so." Jesse chewed his lip some more and continued to scan the room. "The night guards don't cause any kind of trouble?"

"Not recently. There were three that were quite troublesome, but they've since retired and were later killed."

"How?"

"Causing more trouble."

"'S kinda funny."

"So, if I may ask, what were you in life?"

"Outlaw, train robber, bank robber, stuff like that. My son went 'n became a lawyer, 'n my brother outlived me."

"That seems rather ironic."

"Kinda is when you think about it."

Tally walked over then with a cheerful, "Hey."

"Hello, Tally."

"Howdy."

"Okay, so I see you guys got to talking. Nothing bad, I hope? No inappropriate comments?" As Tally asked this last question, her eyes shifted to Jesse.

"No ma'am," Jesse replied.

Tally looked to Ahkmenrah for conformation, and he agreed. "Okay, then. As usual, don't do anything stupid, and Jesse, since you're new here, our main rule is if you go outside, get back in before sunrise or you turn to dust. Trust me, I've seen it happen, and Larry's seen it happen, too."

"Larry?"

"The other night guard." Jesse nodded to show his understanding, and Tally pulled him a couple feet to the side for a moment. "I'm proud of you, even though I barely know you and I know you're a racist, but still. Thanks for keeping your mouth in check around my boyfriend."

"Thanks, ma'am."

"I know it's been tough, but I still want you to be careful."

"I got no other choice." Jesse walked around the edge of the fray, and Tally just let him go. For her part, she drifted over to Ahkmenrah.

"He's a notorious racist, or he was, rather, in life."

"Oh, really? I hadn't noticed."

"That's what I had to talk to him about. I'm glad he can be that good."

"He isn't always as such."

"Yeah, I figured, but we've just gotta wait and see what's going to happen."

"And what might that be?"

"That's why we wait and see." Tally and Ahkmenrah leaned into each other, both watching the crowd with mild interest.


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

Somehow or another, Jed and Jesse ended up in some form of staring match in the diorama room. Eventually, Jesse leaned in to get a better look at the miniature Western town. "Y'all okay livin' here?"

"'S decent," Jed replied. "We can't go anywhere else."

"'Kay, so you're all just stuck here?"

"We all fit, we got new allies, so I'd say we're all pretty well off."

"Okay, then, I ain't doin' nothin'."

"Fine by us."

Jesse walked back into the Western Wing and leaned on a pillar, rubbing his eyes and sighing heavily. He didn't know anyone here, as far as he could tell, there was some gang trapped in the photo behind him and he had no idea who they were, the night guard's boyfriend was, or should've been, black, since he came from Africa, but what did he know? He was an outlaw with no access to anything but a train and a group of people to rob it.

He shook his head, but he couldn't shake these thoughts.

What did anyone want to do with him, some lowly thief with a band of thieves to lead? Why should he have cared or tried so hard? What did it all matter?

He threw his head back against the pillar, trying to snap himself out of these thoughts. He rubbed his eyes again and looked around, seeing that there were no witnesses. However, as if Fate had conspired against him, just as he reached for his gun, the power went out.

He wandered through the hall, feeling his way through, until he saw a pulsating light, and he walked toward it. The light turned out to originate from Tally somehow as she engaged with some random kilt-wearing, knife-wielding nutjob with almost the same complexion as that Ahkmenrah kid.

Tally focused solely on doing whatever she could to keep the knife away from any of her vital organs, or other organs which may lead to death by bleeding, for that matter. The man with the knife reminded her of the man from her dreams, but she didn't have much time for all that.

The man lunged for her again, and she forced the energy she'd amassed to block it, giving off another glow by which to see his face, and she was sure this time as to the identity of her attacker.

A gun fired, forcing Set to drop his knife and clutch his arm.

Tally turned to where the gun had gone off, and she could barely make out Jesse's silhouette, his arm outstretched, and the barrel of his gun smoking. Eventually, Jesse lowered his arm and holstered the gun. "You alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks."

"You sure?"

Tally froze, her eyes fixated on a point just above Jesse's head. Forcing herself to unfreeze, she dove forward and took Jesse to the ground. For a second, she thought she felt something cold across the side of her neck.

The lights switched back on, but the assailant was nowhere in sight.

"Okay, guys, the lights are back on," Larry said quickly, walking into the hallway. "What happened? You're bleeding."

Tally spotted a cut on Jesse's neck and a few drops of blood that had dripped from her own wound. She looked up at Larry, who was soon accompanied by Ahkmenrah, who immediately asked, "Has anyone been killed?"

"Not that I can readily tell," Tally replied, pulling herself off of Jesse as quickly as possible and pressing her sleeve to her neck.

"Now, is this...?"

"Look, all I know is someone tried to kill me. Why it's me, I can't say, but it is."

"And him?"

"Bystander, I swear."

"Alright, then."

Jesse pulled himself to his feet and looked around. "Where'd he go?"

"If he's who I'm almost certain he is, then he just went 'poof,'" Tally said.

"And who do you think he is?"

"Set, the Egyptian god who cut his brother Osiris into pieces and scattered him across Egypt."

"So, what kind of person, really?"

"A guy trying to mooch off of his nephew's nightly fights with Apep," Ahkmenrah said. Jesse furrowed his brow, so Ahkmenrah added, "Apep is the demon of darkness who attempts to destroy the sun every night."

"Sounds like a great big happy family," he said sarcastically.

"More or less."

"Okay, so we're being attacked by something that ain't...human?"

"Exactly," Tally said. "Beings that aren't human are hunting us down or otherwise interacting with us to determine our fates and sometimes try to get us killed."

"Whatever happened to keepin' a nice distance?"

"Sometimes they do, but that's beside the point. The fact remains we're screwed, something's trying to kill us, and I don't know about anyone else, but I've been expected to trust a train robber who could decide he wanted me lynched and have it done in ten minutes."

"You might also wanna add that you haven't been able to sleep lately," Larry said.

"What's he talking about?" Jesse asked.

"I've been having dreams lately, where I wake up just before someone drives a knife into my heart," Tally said, lowering her eyes.

"Well, how's it feel knowin' your dreams are real?"

"Do you honestly want me to answer that question?"

"Jus' askin'."

"Now that that's settled, can we go about our normal lives now?" Tally looked to Ahkmenrah, then Larry, and finally coming to Jesse. "Okay, great," was all she said before walking toward the lobby.

Jesse looked at Ahkmenrah and Larry and said, "It ain't gonna be a normal night, is it?"

"Yee...aaah...no," Larry said.

"I personally fear this could get far, far worse," Ahkmenrah added.

"Wha's she mean she gotta trust me?"

"She was given a message in a dream in which she was told to trust you, despite your...record."

"Yeah, I know I ain't the best person, okay? Jus' happens like that."

"How about I go make my rounds?" Larry asked, walking out without waiting for an answer.

"All you guys look like that?" Jesse asked.

"Excuse me?"

"You Egyptians. Are you all...almost white?"

"It depends on where one is from. Oh, and for the record, Tally's not the only one fully prepared to take your life."

"I guess I gotta remember that."

"You'd better." Ahkmenrah walked off without another word, leaving Jesse alone in the corridor.


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

At four thirty in the morning, Ahkmenrah found Tally sitting on a bench just outside the Egyptian Wing, her face buried in her hands. He took a seat next to her and rested a hand on her shoulder. "What's wrong?" he whispered.

"I don't know," Tally admitted. "I know I need to take a vacation, but if I'm not careful, it's my job, and I can't get a decent night's rest anyway without being told to trust America's most notorious outlaw."

"You don't know that."

"It's happened before, and I'm not trusting a good night's rest until I figure out what's going on."

"You'll be fine, Tally."

"How do you know?"

"I know because I'm with you, every step of the way."

Tally leaned into Ahkmenrah and closed her eyes. "What if I fail this time?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, every time I fought evil, I won, some way or another, usually with help. What if this time it's different, and I die?"

"What makes you think you're going to die?"

"I just do, okay. Nobody I've ever met could survive being cut to pieces."

"He's attacked you once, and you've survived, haven't you?"

"Yeah, with help."

"Perhaps you should trust Jesse as Isis says. After all, he did save your life."

"What if he turns around and kills me tomorrow."

"You don't know what's going to happen tomorrow. No one does. Now, perhaps when you get home you should ignore your schoolwork and all other things until you've had a decent day's rest."

"You think that's gonna help me?"

"Of course I do, Tally. You need your rest, and we'll worry about Jesse and Set in the evening."

"And if I'm forced to worry about one or the other during the day?"

"Then I trust you to have the strenght to fight for your freedom. You never know, you may need it."

"Yay."

"Does this bother you?"

"There's too much going on. I wish I knew how to deal with it all."

"Then I recommend you rest as much as possible."

"I'll try. No promises."

Tally and Larry clocked out at around the same time and walked out of the museum just as McPhee walked in. "All's well with the new exhibit, I trust?" McPhee asked.

"About as well as you can expect," Larry replied.

"Watch your pocketbook," Tally added.

"I'll do that." McPhee tugged at his collar and walked into his office, and Tally and Larry heralded a taxi.

"If he tries to kill you," Larry said after giving his building's address, "you can always lock him out."

"I'm not sure I should do that."

"Why?"

"Look, it's complicated."

"How complicated?"

"Like, the Egyptian gods are involved complicated."

"Okay, that sounds really bad, but hey, we'll figure it out."

"Yeah, like we always do?"

"Yeah, pretty much." The taxi pulled over in front of an apartment building and Larry paid fare. "See you tomorrow. Get lots of sleep."

After he climbed out, Tally gave her own set of directions and the taxi pulled away from the curb. When she reached her apartment building, she paid fare and climbed out of the taxi. She walked up to her building and found a notice for due rent. She checked her own checkbook and paid the rent with all due process before she crawled into her bed.

Tally awoke with no memory of whatever she might've dreamt that day, and it was almost five o'clock in the afternoon. She rolled over onto her back, her head lolling to one side, and she found a knife on her nightstand. She picked it up and examined it carefully. The knife itself looked very expensive, very old, and she knew there was no way she could've afforded a knife like that.

She put it in her bag and got ready for her night, when a thought occurred to her, connecting pieces that previously didn't fit together.

She raced down to work as fast as outside forces would allow, slipping through the cracks and clocking in just as the sun set, at which point she rushed down to the Egyptian Wing to let Ahkmenrah out.

"Oh, hello, Tally," he said, nuzzling her nose and kissing her forehead. "Have you slept well?"

"Yeah, I did, but you won't believe what I found when I woke up."

"What did you find?"

Tally fished out the knife and handed it to Ahkmenrah. "Recognize it?"

Ahkmenrah examined the knife carefully. "I haven't seen it before, but I recognize the style of it."

"Egyptian, right?"

"Yes."

"So what's it doing in my apartment?"

"My best guess is that Set's after you."

"But what does he want with me?"

"There must be something, even though I can't see anything he could want."

"What if he wants to get to you?"

Tally turned to face the speaker, who leaned against the wall, his arms folded across his chest.

"Why do you care?" Ahkmenrah asked. "As I recall, I'm subhuman."

Tally exchanged glances with Ahkmenrah and Jesse, but she found nothing of use to her.

"I dunno what you are," Jesse said flatly. "I jus' know how it's done."

"How what's done?" Tally asked.

"'S easy. This Set guy you keep talking about's trying to get rid of her so he can get to you. That's about all I got right now, but I guess it's a start."

"The only reason Set would want Ahkmenrah is the pharaoh's connection to the god of the sun."

"You guys are messed up."

"This coming from the guy that invented the train robbery."

"I'm proud of that."

"Soldifying my point."

"What's going on in here?" Kahmunrah asked. "Who are you?"

"Kahmunrah, Jesse James. Jesse, Kahmunrah," Tally said.

"You two related?" Jesse asked, gesturing to both Kahmunrah and Ahkmenrah.

"That's my brother, and unless the current arrangement of your face displeases you, don't try anything."

"You got some balls."

"So do you," Tally hissed, taking steps toward Jesse.

"Thanks."

"Careful, or I could easily rip your head off."

The four fell silent for a while, an awkward silence which seemed to encompass eternity in some alternate plane of existence within the space allotted in the one in which they existed. Finally, Ahkmenrah said, "Who wants to go to the party tonight?"

"I've got stuff to do," Tally said, walking out of the Egyptian wing. The others all walked in the general direction of the lobby.


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

All in all, the first two hours of the party proceeded as usual when the Museum of Natural History celebrated a day off from that infernal late show, but that was, of course, until a shot rang out.

The whole of the lobby fell silent, and Ahkmenrah crumpled to a heep, clutching his abdomen. When Tally found him, she gestured for Larry and said, "Stay with him," as she chased after the gunman.

Kahmunrah was also in hot pursuit of the gunman, but he'd lost track of him after he'd ran down several halls and through several spacious rooms.

Tally, for her part, knew almost exactly where to start looking, and that was her first response. She ran into the Western Wing, where Jesse leaned against a pillar, staring off into space.

"You here for me?" he asked.

"Actually, yeah, I am."

"Good luck." Jesse dove into the picture at the back of his display, and Tally was right after him.

Problem was, this wasn't the come-to-life image of a train robbery in action. It actually looked more like the deserted badlands of a cheesy Western more than anything else.

Tally had landed on her feet in this wasteland and turned up toward the portal to the museum, which was being shut by a bald man with a similar complexion to Ahkmenrah. "I am forever blaming you for this," she said.

"How's this my fault?" Jesse snapped.

"I never said it was your fault, even though it is. I said I was going to blame you."

"For what?"

"For getting us trapped here, wherever we are."

"You're the one that went 'n chased me here, and I'd-a been home free if it wasn't for that."

"So you did shoot him."

"I never said I shot him."

"But you said you'd have been home free if it wasn't for the fact that I chased you down."

Jesse buried his eyes in one of his hands and shook his head. "What do you want from me?"

"I want to know why, first of all."

"Look, shooting people's what I do, okay?"

"Then we're going to have to change that."

"The only changes in my world are the changes I make," a disembodied voice snapped, echoing throughout the rocky landscape.

"Great. Thanks to you, we're in a mastermind's version of hell," Tally said.

"Again it's all my fault."

"Technically speaking, it is."

"And let me guess, you know a way to get back?"

"There has to be a way, if we got here. Now, if I could just figure out where we are exactly, we'd be off to a lovely start."

"What makes you think you know what you're doing?"

"Shut the hell up, Jesse. I'm tired of you."

Tally walked in one direction, and Jesse hesitantly followed.

Kahmunrah had returned to the lobby, bandaged his brother's wounds, and was now laying him in his sarcophagus when Larry walked in and asked, "Is he gonna be okay?"

"He should be fine," Kahmunrah replied. "I have a bone to pick with that Jesse character, however."

"About that..."

"What?"

"Jesse and Tally vanished."

"Vanished?"

"Yeah, as in, here one minute, gone the next."

"Where have they gone, exactly?"

"Not a clue, but someone from the Western Wing told me they jumped into the photo behind the display, and then it froze over somehow."

"Froze over?" Ahkmenrah asked weakly, turning his face toward Larry and Kahmunrah. "As in, stopped moving?"

"I think so."

"They're trapped, at least, until they figure out where they are."

"Where are they?"

"I...I can't say. It's too horrible."

"Then will they live?"

"I don't know."

Tally continued to walk in a straight line, Jesse several yards behind her. "Hey, you hear anything?" Jesse asked.

"What? You think I'm crazy?"

"No, it's just, I think something else is here."

"You're crazy."

"And you ain't?"

"Look, all we have to do is get out of here, and then we can work this out at twenty paces, okay?"

"Does it still work like that?"

"Actually, no, but shooting someone in the back of the anything on a person's body is a cowardly way of killing someone."

"Yeah, I get that part, but why do you wanna die that way?"

"Who says I'll die?"

A horrible, ear-splitting roar ripped through the rocky land and tore through the sky, forcing Tally and Jesse to cover their ears. The roar left in its wake a silence with matching deafening power, and a great crocodile-slash-lion-like beast lumbered toward them. "What the hell's that thing?"

"Speaking of hell, we're in it. Run!"

Tally and Jesse took off, and as the beast lunged for the latter, the former pushed him out of the way.

The teeth driven into her shoulder burned, but she lacked the energy to cry out in pain. Colored spots filled her vision, and eventually, the beast let go, and she collapsed onto the rocks, almost completely unconscious.

Jesse drew his gun and fired a couple shots into the creature, but neither of them got through. The beast took a step back, and Jesse ran over to Tally, who was bleeding onto the rocks. "Can you hear me?" he asked. Tally groaned, her hand moving to her shoulder in an attempt to stop the bleeding. Jesse took his jacket and applied pressure to both the front and back of her shoulder. "You okay?"

"Barely," she mumbled, gingerly pulling herself into a sitting position.

Jesse glanced up just long enough to see the beast watching this, as far as he could judge, curious interaction between the two. He returned his attention to Tally, who was applying the pressure herself and it seemed she was recovering well. He looked up at the thing again and asked, "What is it?"

"If I'm right," Tally said weakly, "it's the Destroyer."

"The what?"

"The beast of Egyptian legend which devoured the hearts of sinners as judged by weighing said hearts individually against the feather representing the truth."

"So what's it doing here?"

"It must've just developed a taste for the rest of the human body, at least, of evildoers. It's only watching us because we're throwing it for a loop."

"A loop?"

"Confusing it. Now, we've gotta go." Tally pulled herself to her feet, reluctantly allowing Jesse to help her, and they walked on at a decent pace until they heard the Destroyer walk back to its hole. "It'll be back in an hour or so, or maybe several hours, but it'll be back."

Jesse eventually allowed Tally to sit with her back to a rock, still applying pressure to the wound. Her eyes drifted closed and her head lolled back against the rock. "Don't fade on me now, Tally," Jesse said.

"I'll be fine," she said. "Just need some rest."

"Figures as much." Jesse took a seat next to Tally. "Why'd you do it, though?"

"Do what?"

"Y'know, save my life."

"I dunno. I guess I just did. Heat of the moment sort of thing."

"So it just happened?"

"Pretty much. I don't see why I need a reason to save someone's life and take the hit."

"Maybe you don't. I dunno either."

The two fell into awkward silence until Tally fell asleep.


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

Ahkmenrah's day's sleep was troubled by thoughts about whether or not he would die entirely. At least, as long as he thought, his soul lived, and it lived through a very long day with very few visitors. At one point, he fully became aware of McPhee saying, "That was painful," just before he lapsed into awareness of himself.

He was still alive, and he could check the wound, which had clotted over. He found he could freely open his sarcophagus and climb out, which he did, and he found his brother waiting for him.

"Slept well, I see," Kahmunrah said.

"Actually, not as well as one might hope," Ahkmenrah replied.

"How so?"

"I kept thinking about whether or not I was going to die, and it must've kept me alive."

"Perhaps, perhaps it was the gods who aided you."

"Either way, I am still here, and I am thankful for that. My worries now pass to Tally."

"You do not believe her to be in safe hands?"

"She's in the hands of the man who shot me."

"Even so, she'll find a way out."

"I'm supposed to bank on the fact that you're right?"

"You don't have to, but if you want to ease your mind, I recommend it."

"Well, then, I suppose I must," Ahkmenrah said with a sigh.

Tally awoke more to the sound of a vicious roar than anything else, and lo and behold, the Destroyer was after them again. She shook Jesse awake and dragged him behind her as she took off.

While still half-asleep, Jesse asked, "What's going on?"

"We're being hunted again," Tally replied.

"Now where do we go?"

"If I'm right, and we keep going straight, we should end up somewhere-" Tally suddenly ran smack into a wall and was knocked backwards, stumbling.

"Think we made it." Jesse kicked open a door and gestured for Tally to follow him inside.

Tally allowed herself to look around for a second when a woman asked her, "How's your shoulder?"

"Better," she replied before knowing exactly who she was talking to.

The woman rested a hand on her shoulder and Tally tensed at first. After a second, she relaxed and the woman removed her hand. Tally gingerly peeled off the jacket and tossed it to Jesse, who quickly shrugged it on.

"What was all that about?" Jesse asked.

"No crack comments. These people could order your death within five seconds."

"Why do you keep thinking I'm gonna say something stupid?"

"Because I can't trust you to not do anything stupid."

"I honestly doubt you can argue with that logic," the woman said. "In any event, my husband will see you now." She took a few steps toward another door and gestured for Tally and Jesse to follow.

In the next room, the woman announced the visitors, in Egyptian, Tally noted, to a guy on a throne who was wrapped in bandages all the way up to the top of his neck, his arms forever crossed on his chest.

"Ah, the two young survivors," he said in a raspy voice. "Welcome."

Jesse moved to launch into some tirade or another, but Tally stopped him. "Excuse our intrusion, but we were trapped here by Set, and all we want is to get back home."

"To the museum? Ah, yes, of course. You're unwilling travelers from the upper world."

"Yes, exactly."

"Do you know exactly how you were trapped here?"

"The picture which placed us here was sealed and frozen."

"Ah, I see."

"Are we gonna die down here?" Jesse asked.

"You might, if you aren't careful, especially around Set's forces. I am afraid I can't do much, but already I see great changes in play."

"So, as long as we're stuck down here, pretty much everyone's trying to kill us?"

"Yes."

"Sound familiar, Jesse?" Tally asked.

Jesse took a step backwards, toward Tally, and fell silent.

One of the doors leading to the room burst into several pieces around the form of a man with a dog's head. "Oh, God," Tally whispered.

In the doorframe that remained was a bald man with a knife in one hand. "Were you just talking about me?" he asked.

Jesse stepped between Set and Tally, his gun drawn, causing the latter to snap, "Are you out of your mind?"

"Nope," Jesse replied. "Just returnin' the favor."

The man disappeared, only to try to grab Tally from behind. She had maintained her freedom long enough to throw him to the side and usher Jesse out the door into the Underworld's court.

Set shot to his feet and lunged for Tally, slashing across her abdomen. She grabbed his wrist and tried to force the knife into Set's chest, but again, she was thrown off.

Jesse fired two shots into Set's body, which distracted him enough to allow Tally to get to her feet and gain some distance. His attempt to fire a third shot was thwarted when he was grabbed from behind by someone who spoke predominately German.

Tally attempted to warn Jesse about the incoming threat from behind, but it had come too quickly, so she simply shouted, "Shoot!"

Set took another lunge at Tally, who made another attempt to drive the knife into his chest. After a violent struggle, she finally succeeded, when colored spots filled her vision again, and she blacked out.

Jesse managed to gain enough space to fire a shot into the German's chest, and once the man had crumpled to the ground, Jesse used the butt of his pistol to bash his face in. To his amazement, once he finished, the man disintegrated into dust. From what he could tell, aside from the dog-headed man awaking out of an unconscious stupor, the woman bent over Tally and the bandaged man overseeing, everything was deserted.

"Congratulations," the bandaged man said, gesturing with his head to a portal forming in thin air. "You've won your freedom."

"What about her?" Jesse asked, gesturing to Tally.

"She will come with you," the woman said. "She will live, but she needs medical attention."

Jesse helped the woman carry Tally into the portal, which spit them out in the Western Wing as if nothing ever happened.

Larry stood in the door, aghast, before he fished out his phone and called for help.


	11. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

Jesse had filled about several dozen exhibits in with a slightly embellished version of what had happened while he and Tally had gone missing, and pretty soon, rumor circulated throughout the rest of the museum, mutating as rumor does with each telling.

In the Western diorama, Jed leaned against the wall of the tunnel, accompanied, as always, by Octavius. "So much for normal in this museum," Jed said.

"Is anything ever normal, my love?"

"Nah, not really, unless you got a really vague definition for normal."

"Even so, can such a state of normalcy ever be achieved?"

"I dunno. I guess it just means followin' certain patterns, like we were before all this craziness."

"Life needs a little insanity every now and again, Jedediah, or else we ourselves will be driven insane."

"So it all works out."

"Yes, in a way, it does." Octavius pulled Jed into him from behind. "It all balances out, and it all works together to complete a bigger picture that we can't readily see."

"I jus' hope Tally's okay."

"She should be. Wasn't she taken to a hospital?"

"I think so, but it's kinda weird, y'know? She jus' almost gets killed outta nowhere and nobody's sayin' nothin'."

"That's likely because it occurred in the Underworld, so the story goes. They must certainly have different authorities to deal with these things."

"Yeah, guess you're right." Jed sighed and leaned into Octavius, keeping his eyes off the swelling crowds of late-show viewers.

Tally opened her eyes and looked around at the sterile hospital room. Much as she hated to be here, her best hope lay in the fact that she'd get out soon.

The window by her bed slipped open, and in crawled none other than Jesse and Ahkmenrah.

"How did you-?"

"Get in here?" Jesse finished. "Very carefully."

"Let him talk me into this?" Ahkmenrah added. "With great stupidity."

"Why?"

"Jus' checkin' on ya, seein' how you're doin'."

"Just fine, since you want to know. So, what, you're working together now?"

"I was just desperate," Ahkmenrah said, "and now I really should be leaving, since I know what I need to know."

"You fine with gettin' down there?"

"Of course. I don't need your help." Ahkmenrah disappeared out the window on that note.

"What're you doing here?" Tally asked. "I mean, I understand Ahk, but you?"

Jesse took a seat and crossed his legs, lacing his fingers over one knee. "I'm sorry I shot him."

"You already told me this."

"I tried to. You never let me finish."

"Even so."

"I'm tryin' to change, I swear."

"You have no choice. You're a wax dummy in a museum now. It's not like you can spend months on end avoiding Pinkertons."

"Are there any?"

"Haven't seen any in the two years I've been there, but haven't paid much attention, either."

"Okay. So, how long you think you're gonna be in here?"

"With luck, two more days, and then two weeks after that, I'm going back to get the stitches out."

"Stitches?"

"Yes, I said stitches."

"That gonna be the end of it you think?"

"I'm hopin'."

Footsteps came from the end of the hall, and Jesse said quickly, "Better get goin'," and he, too, vanished out the window.

A doctor walked into the room to find Tally still awake, alongside an open window. "Are you alright?" he asked.

"Just peachy."

The doctor walked over and shut the window. "Get a lot of rest, Tally."

"I'll try."

With that, the doctor walked out of the room, leaving Tally more or less to whatever devices she had available to her in her present situation.

Ahkmenrah leaned against the door with a sigh, amazingly relieved to be back in the museum. After a minute, he heard a knock on the other side of the service door, so he opened it gingerly, only to find that it was Jesse, who rushed inside without a word for Ahkmenrah.

Ahkmenrah walked back into the lobby, where he met up with Larry. "She's fine. I've seen her myself," he said.

"That's good," Larry replied.

"She's a fighter, Tally. I trust she'll be back at work within a day or two."

"She's crazy if she wants to come back to work with stitches."

"How did you know she has stitches?"

"Lucky guess."

"Oh. Well then."

Eventually, the gathering in the lobby dispersed, just half an hour before dawn.


	12. Epilogue

Epilogue

Tally walked into the lobby carefully, minding her stitches, but it felt so good to be back at the museum. She met up with Ahkmenrah just after sunset. "I'm back," she said.

"Oh, wonderful," he said, pulling her into an embrace. "How do you feel?"

"Not quite like hell, but not quite a ten, either."

"This is good, for what it is."

Tally pulled away, hearing footsteps behind her. She waited until the approacing person was close enough and swept his legs out from under him, placing a foot on the man's chest once he was down. "Good try, Jesse," Tally said, "but I doubt I have anything you want."

"I tried," Jesse said, and Tally allowed him to get to his feet. "See you got back okay."

"Better than I'm sure you were hoping for."

"Well, you're a survivor, kid. I oughtta call you somethin' someday."

"Don't name me after a dog, though."

"Okay." Jesse popped his neck. "I got better stuff to do than watch you guys be mushy." He walked off into the gathering fray of exhibits, and Tally sighed.

"Some things never change."

"I imagine so." Ahkmenrah pulled Tally into him again and there they remained for some time. "Oh, I'm so glad you're alright."

"Me, too. It's good to be back."

"I'm glad you think so." He ran his thumb along her arm, and she sighed quietly. "It's a nice night, don't you think?"

"Yep, very nice."

The gathering of the museum swelled, and it was helped by the fact that they had a day off from the late show. The night had passed as usual, with exhibits passing to and from the lobby and going about their lives without a care in the world for normal people. Ahkmenrah was right: it was very nice.


End file.
